Redemption
by LuvsUrStory
Summary: Thor was once banished to Earth in an attempt to make him more fit for the throne. Odin, in a last attempt to rebuild the family he lost, has decided that Loki should be given the same courtesy...but this will prove to be far more trying than it had for his Eldest. What is a god to do on his path to redemption?
1. Traitor

**-A/N-**

**So, I actually have like, 200 stories I'm writing. And every time I start a new one, I rant about how "I know I shouldn't be writing this because I have two other stories and blah blah blah" in my A/N's. Except, I haven't actually posted **_**any **_**of them so it doesn't really matter.**

**Anyway, I love Loki to death and I decided to write this story about how things **_**should **_**have gone**_**. **_**I will be referencing both **_**Thor **_**and **_**Avengers, **_**and this takes place around **_**The Dark World**_**...except there isn't any dark elves and stuff. Yeah...**

**So here it is: **_**Redemption. **_

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Thor or Loki or anything Marvel has come up with. If I **_**did**_** things would be different. Because Loki...**

*All criticism is welcomed. I want you to tell me what works. I want you to tell me what sucks. I won't know unless you say something. Negative criticism is Productive criticism!*

**-A/N-**

* * *

><p>Odin sighed and retrained from standing from his throne. He'd been pacing far too much lately, and didn't want to appear as troubled as he was about this whole situation. A king had to be strong in his decisions, less the people doubt them as well. He sighed again and tightened his grip on his staff. Frigga placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it softly. He nodded towards her and locked his eyes back on the doors to the throne room. He was definitely <em>not<em> looking forward to the upcoming conversation. Then again, he never was. His youngest was very...stubborn. And angry. What's more, Loki knew just what to say to make him lose his temper. He _had_ to maintain his composure today. If everything went as planned, he would hopefully have his son back.

_Hopefully._

Odin steeled his face and straightened his back once the sound of marching feet could be heard. He needed to be strict and straightforward. No room for arguing. The doors were opened and a group of guards entered, Loki standing proudly in the center. Despite everything, he still liked to play that everything was normal. That this was a temporary fix and that they would all regret it one day. Truth was, Odin wasn't entirely sure that he wouldn't be able to keep that "one day" from happening. Loki had escaped out of worse...it was only a matter of time before he attempted to do so now.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, oh great Odin," Loki spoke once his escort had stopped him in front of the throne, his smirk growing. Oin turned to Frigga and nodded. She backed away, leaving the room. The guards around Loki moved off to the side, but still surrounded him from afar incase he tried to escape.

"Time, Loki. When you were first brought before me two years ago, I was blinded with rage and betrayal. If it hadn't been for your mother's pleading, you would have been executed for your crimes the moment you had left this room." Loki smiled.

"A decision, I think, you'll come to regret Allfather." Odin nodded and stood. He, towering over Loki beside his throne, radiated power.

"I agree." For a brief moment, Loki's facade broke. His eyes flashed with fear before stealing over again defiantly. But that was all Odin needed to see to know that his son truly believed that he was going to order him to his death. That meant that Loki wasn't beyond fear. He wasn't beyond hope.

"Then get on with it! I'm tired of these games, of being locked in a cage!" Odin moved down the steps until he was standing just above Loki, his one eye watching the boy carefully.

"So quick to accept death? After all your threats?"

"Isn't that what you want, _Father_? Do I need to repeat what I said that day on the bridge?"

_I could have done it, Father! I could have done it! For you! For all of us! _

"No. I remember." Odin replied grimly. He turned away from Loki, bowing his head.

"I have made up my mind. And in doing so, I have realised a few things. The first being that I can't blame you entirely for all you have done." Loki's head snapped up, his eyes focused on Odin's back.

"I am to blame just as much as you were. I failed you as a father and as a king. By letting my emotions rule my decisions, I basically handed you the Scepter. By allowing you to leave Asgard, I signed Earth's fate. And by allowing you to stay in the dungeons, I am giving you permission to try and escape." He tuned back to Loki, sadness in his eye.

"I am recognizing my failure to make things right from the start. How ever misguided your plots were, from the start they did have good intentions. Casting you out, was the wrong thing to do."

"Apologies won't change things, Odin. Not now."

"No, they won't. But I know what will," Odin gestured to one of the guards. The man bowed his head and hurriedly left the room. It didn't take long for him to return, carrying a large silver case. He placed it on the stair beside Odin and opened the lid. Inside was a set of jewelry. Two thick gold cuffs, for the wrist, and a larger one to fit around the collar bone. Each had a black gem embedded in it.

"And these are supposed to accomplish what?"

"_These_ are special. Crafted by our ancestors and forgotten. When translated, they read Traitor's Redemption. They were once used to give criminals a second chance. The magic stored within the gems allow the criminal to be tracked at all time. They block out any magic he might have had and," Two guards came up behind Loki and started to cut open his shirt, "they even give a person control over the criminal if needed."

Loki struggled against the guards as his torso was fully exposed.

"Do you mean to make me into your puppet then? A fitting Jester for the King?" Odin ignored Loki's hate filled words and picked up the the three relics.

"Your brother was once a reckless, arrogant boy. By convincing him into going to Jotunheim, where you _knew_ he would attack the Frost Giants, you made me see that he was not yet ready for the throne. By banishing him to the earth, he was allowed to grow as a man and a king. For that, I thank you." The guards that held Loki forced him to his knees, outstretching his arms. He let out a low growl and tried to pull away.

"I am _so _glad that I was of service to you. Giving you your _perfect _son back!" Odin shook his head.

"I never said Thor was perfect. But, spending time on Earth _did_ improve things for him," Odin moved to stand in front of Loki, looking down sadly at his son, "And I hope they will improve things for you as well. To fully grasp the gravity of your crimes, Loki, I am sending you to live with the people you once tried to rule. By living the life of a human, I hope that you will realize that you are not above them."

"What? You're sending me _there_? Sorry to break this to you, but I'm not sure our friends at S.H.I.E.L.D will appreciate that."

"Thor has spoken to them. They will be allowed to intervene whenever they choose, but not needlessly. I have offered Asgard's protection as long as you are left alone. And as long as you have these on, you _won't_ be causing any problems." Odin slipped the back piece over Loki's head, allowing it to rest firmly on his chest. He then clasped the other two on the boys wrists.

"You honestly think this is going to change _anything_? I regret nothing. Sending me there will only give me more time to plot my revenge against you and your people!" Odin moved back to the case, picking up another black gem. This one was large enough to fit in the palm of Odin's hand, and it seemed to be emitting a light from it's core.

"Then you will have all the time that your new mortal life will grant you. If you are worth to return home, the Relics will tell me. Until then, you will be forced to watch as you slowly waste your life on pointless dreams." Loki scoffed, opening his mouth to argue, but was interrupted by pain. The Gem in Odin's hand turned red, as were the three on Loki, and began pulsing light. Loki screamed in pain hitting the ground as agony ripped through him. Odin turned away from his son and closed his eyes, waiting until the screams stopped. He knew it would be painful, the magic was too strong not to be. The Relics were not only fusing to his body, but to his soul. A binding contract. Only when Loki fell silent did he allow himself to look upon him again. Blood ran from under the gold circuits pooling slightly underneath him and his eyes lay open, gazing blankly out.

Odin knelt by him son, and closed the boys eyes. He truly hoped this would work. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen. And as much as he hated to admit it, Thor wouldn't be a fit king for Asgard unless Loki was by his side. Like they were when they were children, playing together in this very hall. Odin had known then that Thor would be king, and that Loki would be a fitting advisor. Only when his youngest had betrayed the family name did he change his mind. And, honestly, it took a lot to change it back. He took a cloth from his robes and wiped some of the blood off Loki's chin.

"This is for the best, my son. I do not want to see you suffer any longer." He followed the guards as they carried Loki to the Bifrost, feeling lighter with each step he was taking. Even if Loki failed to redeem himself, if he died a mortal on Earth, Odin would know that he had truly done everything he could have to save him from himself. And Odin could _feel_ that Earth would do Loki good, as it had his brother. He watched as Loki was set in front of the entrance to the Bifrost. Odin nodded to Heimdall. The familiar roar of the Bifrost filled the room and Odin was reminded of the last time he was forced to banish one of his sons to Earth. He moved beside Loki and placed his hand on the boys forehead.

"I pray for your swift return, my boy." And then he sent him off.

Sometimes, being a father was worse than dealing with the burdens of being a king.

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><p><strong>-AN-**

**I have to wait until **_**February**_ to finally own the Dark World. I honestly don't think I can wait that long...

**So, what do **_**you**_** think is going to happen down on Earth?**

**-A/N-**


	2. Banished

**-A/N-**

**I like this story guys. Please review and stuff. **

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Thor or Loki or anything Marvel has come up with. If I **_**did**_** things would be different. Because Loki...**

*All criticism is welcomed. I want you to tell me what works. I want you to tell me what sucks. I won't know unless you say something. Negative criticism is Productive criticism!*

**-A/N-**

* * *

><p><em>To fully grasp the gravity of your crimes, Loki, I am sending you to live with the people you once tried to rule. By living the life of a human, I hope that you will realize that you are not above them...<em>

_This is for the best, my son. I do not want to see you suffer any longer..._

_I pray for your swift return..._

"_Hey..."_ Loki groaned. His whole body felt as though it was on fire, and the bright light of the sun was irritating his headache.

"_Hey. You ok?"_ It took him a second to register that someone was talking to him. But, he couldn't move. He didn't _want_ to move. Everything hurt so much...

"Ok, I'm calling an ambulance..." No. He couldn't have that. It would cause so many problems. He attempted to open his eyes once more, and managed to force his voice to work.

"No...ambulance...I'll be...fine..." He could make out the blurry form the person slowly put their phone down.

"You're aware that you're covered in blood right? _And_ you were just passed out in the middle of the forest." Loki groaned again, his head swimming violently.

"No...ambulance...please..." His eyes fell shut again, his head lolling back. The person was talking again, but he could no longer process the words.

Everything was fading to black.

_I could have done it, Father! I could have done it! For you! For all of us... _

_Apologies won't change things, Odin. Not now..._

_Do you mean to make me into your puppet then? A fitting Jester for the King..._

Pain shot through him bringing him back to consciousness for a second. He was being moved. He didn't try to see where. The sound of dragging filled his head, making it impossible for him to focus on anything other than the pain. He managed to gather that it was probably him causing the sound...

The person was talking again.

"_I'm so not...cut out for this..." _The rest faded into the dark again.

_I thought you dead..._

_We were raised together, we played together, we fought together. Do you remember none of that..._

_You give up the Tesseract! You give up this pointless dream... You come home..._

He was leaned up against something, sitting on the ground. The person was attempting to pull the remainder of his clothing off. He couldn't resist. And how badly had he wanted to once they tried to take off the Relics, sending splitting pain through him once more. Eventually, they gave up trying and started moving him again. Loki cracked opened one of his eyes to see that he was being lowered into water. It was warm. It felt good.

_I never wanted the throne, I only ever wanted to be your equal..._

_I remember a shadow, living in the shade of your greatness..._

_In the aftermath of the battle I went into the temple, and I found a baby. Laufey's son..._

_Tell me!_

* * *

><p>Loki shifted, stifling a groan. His hands automatically went to the Relic on his neck, where the most pain was coming from. Once his fingers brushed the cool metal, he remembered. Odin had banished him. He was on Earth. With...someone. Someone who was going to call an ambulance and cause him another headache. He opened his eyes to an unfamiliar room. Loki had seen the inside of human hospitals before, and unless he was being treated in the basement, this wasn't one. He struggled into an upright position, unable to keep himself from making noise that time. He glanced at the cuffs on his wrist, examining the burned flesh that could barely be seen. He tugged on one slightly, but immediately regretted it. The shock nearly knocked him unconscious again, and he couldn't have that. Not now. Trying to ignore the pain, he focused on figuring out where he was.<p>

The room he was in wasn't exactly small, but it wasn't large either. Big enough to hold the old dusty mattress he was sitting on, an old leather chair, and a wood chest-of-drawers. The carpet was a dirty grey and the walls were painted a dark blue, though it was chipped and faded in most places. It looked like it had been recently cleaned, if the thick rings of dust around some of the objects on the dresser said anything. As if whoever cleaned it didn't take the time to move things around. The remains of his clothes were draped over the chair, folded as well as they could be. He didn't have a shirt on, but was dressed in some loose fitting trousers.

_This is definitely _not_ a hospital._

Loki pulled himself to his feet, leaning heavily on the wall for support, and made his way to the door. He felt very weak, weaker than he had in a long time. It had to be the human body...and the Relics. He assumed they took energy from the wearer to maintain power. He managed to reach the door and pull it open. The room he had come from seemed to be the only one that was completed, the rest of the basement remained empty. It made it easier to find the location of the stair, which weren't far from him. _But_ they were still stairs.

_Great._

Climbing them proved to be a new challenge on it's own. His body was a lot weaker than he first presumed and it took all his willpower not to pass out and tumble back down.

_How fitting, _he thought,_ After everything I've been through, to die from a broken neck. _

He made it to the top, the door already open, and looked around. It seemed he was in a mortal kitchen. From where he was standing, he was able to make out the living room, another set of stairs leading up, and the front door. Deciding that he needed food before he went anywhere, Loki began looking for whoever brought him here. The person from before had to have _something_ to make him feel less...horrible. He entered the living room spotting someone curled up on the couch. Any feature he could discern from them was covered by a blacked, save for a small tuft of dark hair poking out from under the covers. Loki slowly made his way to the human's side, intending on waking them, when pain swept over him again. He clutched at his neck piece in agony as he fell to the ground, stars dancing before his eyes.

"Jesus, what are you doing?" The human woke and knelt beside him. Having seen the short hair before, Loki had assumed his caretaker was male. Hi perceptions roved to be wrong, however, as it was a human girl attempting to help him into a sitting position.

"God, you're not the brightest lightbulb in the box are you? Are you _trying _to get yourself killed?" Loki's only response came in the form of a pained cough as he was sat on the couch where the girl had been sleeping previously. She made sure he was comfortable before leaving the room and entering the kitchen. Loki watched out of the corner of his eye, waiting for the right moment to exert his authority. He would _not _be treated like a child by this human. The girl returned, carrying a cool rag and a plate of food, setting them down on Loki's lap.

"I know it's not much, but it's food. Take what you can get." She then began dabbing at Loki's collar with the rag. He'd started bleeding again during the fall. He eyed the food, a sandwich, with disdain, but didn't hesitate to start eating. He needed to get his strength up so he could get out of there and back to trying to find a way out of this situation. Odin would pay for this humiliation.

"Alright," the girl stood, finished with his neck, "try not to open it again. I don't know what you did to get _those _stuck to you, but whatever it was did a number on your skin. I wouldn't recommend moving too much at all, or they won't heal." With that she left the room again, leaving Loki to eat in silence. Unlike the last time, though, the girl did not return. Instead, she went down the stairs carrying bedding over her shoulder. He assumed she was going to change the bloody sheets he'd woken up on. He finished the sandwich quickly, already feeling better, and decided that now was a good time to "introduce himself" to the human girl. If he wanted to get out of here, he was going to need her help. He met her in the kitchen, where she was disposing of the red sheets.

"You've done me a kindness," he started. He needed to gain her trust, and that meant being polite.

"I fear I would have perished had you not taken me in." She looked at him skeptically and shook her head.

"You would have been just fine if you'd let me call an ambulance for you. I'm not a doctor."

"Well, you see, my situation is a bit...delicate. I'm not sure how a 'doctor' would have dealt with someone like _me_." The girl moved to a door that led outside, carrying a trash bag full of the dirty sheets.

"Well, whatever you are, I hope you heal fast. Because I can't keep hiding you like this for much longer."

"Hiding me? Who's looking?"

"No one. I'm not the only one living here you know. It's hard sneaking off to make sure you aren't dead with a drunken idiot demanding your attention every damn second. That," she moved to the sink, washing her hands, "And I still need to work. This place doesn't pay for itself." He watched her curiously.

"Then why even bother helping me in the first place?" She stopped and looked at him wearily.

"Good question."

"Well, I'm thankful all the same. What did you say you name was?"

"I didn't. And you need to be resting. Go back to bed." Loki, rapidly growing tired of the girls attitude towards him, stepped forward. His plan was simple: since he clearly wasn't going to earn her trust, he would have to intimidate her to get what he wanted. Unfortunately, his weak body decided otherwise. Again he found himself collapsing, unable to support himself any longer. And, once again, he found his fall interrupted by the girl. She was surprisingly strong, given her size.

"See? What did I tell you? Last thing you need is a concussion. Come on," she slowly helped him down the stairs and into the room he had awoken in, sitting him on the bed, "get some rest. We can talk more when you're _not _about to die."

Loki didn't resist (much) when she pushed on his chest, signalling him to lay down. The second his head hit the pillow, he felt his eyes grow heavy. He hadn't even realized how tired he actually was until the. The human was perceptive.

_Maybe...I'll try again...tomorrow..._

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><p><strong>-AN-**

**I know these chapters are short, but until I get into it they're staying that way. **

**Remember, reviews are cool and keep me writing. The also tell me how well I'm doing, so I invite you: Please tear this apart. **

**35 days!**

**-A/N-**


	3. Broken

**-A/N-**

**Alright, this chapter picks up right where the last one left of because I didn't like how it ended. **

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Thor or Loki or anything Marvel has come up with. If I **_**did**_** things would be different. Because Loki...**

*All criticism is welcomed. I want you to tell me what works. I want you to tell me what sucks. I won't know unless you say something. Negative criticism is Productive criticism!*

**-A/N-**

**BREAK HERE BREAK HERE BREAK HERE BREAK HERE**

Loki dozed on and off for the rest of the day, only waking when the girl would come in to check on him. She had given his something earlier that helped numb the pain and, evidently, knocked him out. Unusually, his rest was almost...peaceful. Normally his dreams were plagued with his failures and regrets. And of happy memories that taunted him relentlessly. As a result, he got very little sleep.

"You're...strange. For a human." He had said to the girl once when she came in to see if he was hungry again. His head at the time wasn't as foggy as it had been previously, so he decided to try and pry a little more out of the girl. She scoffed at his statement.

"And you're completely normal for a man who came out of a beam of light." Loki raised an eyebrow, unaware that she had seen the Bifrost.

"Don't act surprised. How could I _not_ notice something like that in the middle of the night? It's honestly the only reason I found you." She set a plate down in front of him, and handed him a fork.

"And what were you doing outside in the middle of the night?"

"I was watching the stars." Loki shook his head.

"Why? I hate to tell you this, but they're not going to move. Watching them will do nothing to change that." She began poking around his collarbone again, checking the scabbing carefully.

"Maybe...I'll need to get you some burn."

"I still don't know your name, you know." She locked eyes with him, holding his gaze.

"And I still don't see why knowing it matters." She made to leave the room, but he stopped her. This was _not_ a battle he was going to lose.

"Because I grow tired of calling you 'Human' in my head." She sighed at this, turning towards him. He honestly didn't know what the big deal was. It was just a name. But for whatever reason this girl acted like him knowing was going to ruin her life.

"Fine. It's Alex."

_All that for such a simple name? _

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" She shook her head, sitting back down in the chair across from him. Alex made no move to keep the conversation moving and instead pulled a book off the dresser. She tossed it at him, then stood once more.

"You can read this while I'm gone. And _don't _move." She didn't give him time to ask where she was going. Alex was out of the room and up the stairs by the time he managed to catch the book and set in down beside him.

_Annoying girl..._

Loki finished his food slowly, enjoying it much more than the sandwich she had presented him earlier. This was a pasta dish of some sort. He could care less that it was a far cry to what he was used to eating. At least it was warm. Once the food was gone, he set the plate down on the nightstand and laid back. So far, S.H.I.E.L.D seemed to be staying out of things as Odin promised. But, it was too soon to tell how "far" they were actually staying. For all he knew, the girl was working for them as a spy. It would make sense. Then again, she didn't exactly _feel_ like the type to sell her soul to those bastards. Not that it mattered. The second he found a way out of the Relics' hold, he would be gone. A whisper on the wind. A memory, and nothing more. That is, until he managed to return to Asgard to enact his revenge on the old fool who had sent him here. Then he would finally have what was promised to him. He would finally prove he was worthy.

As if they were reading his thoughts, the Relics pulsed angrily. The pain filled his vision with spots and his ears with a dull ringing. Loki winced, trying to fight it down. If he didn't find a way out of the damn things soon, he was going to break someone's neck. Eventually, after dozing on and off for a few hours, Loki decided to find something to do. Seeing as he wasn't able to move without collapsing every couple of minutes, he opted to read the book Alex had thrown at him earlier. The story was bland, the title reading _The Ocean at the End of the Lane, _though he could see it being interesting to someone who hadn't lived through events similar all their lives as he had. That being the case, he found his focus floating back to Alex often.

_It would be very unfortunate should she be working for Fury...I don't believe I want to get my hands dirty this early on in the game. And she _has _been kind enough to provide assistance, no matter how unwanted. _

She was so...strange. Acting as though he was a nuisance, yet going out of her way to make him comfortable.

_Perhaps my stay here will provide for some entertainment after all. _

**BREAK HERE BREAK HERE BREAK HERE BREAK HERE**

"_Well, well, what have we here? You look worn, Black Sheep." Loki cracked open his tired eyes. The being addressing him was hooded and towered over him from his spot on the ground. He had managed to prop himself up on a ragged formation of rocks, but could do little more until he regained his strength._

"_If you're here to kill me, get on with it. Just know that I will not submit easily." Loki gripped his dagger, willing his back muscles to loosen enough for him to move when needed. The creature chuckled happily, but didn't step closer as Loki had predicted. Instead the beast turned from him to take in their surroundings. _

"_What a dreary world; comprised of rock and dust. Who in their right mind would willingly travel here?" Loki didn't grace him with a response. He had spent so long not talking to anyone, that his silver tongue felt dull. _

"_Unless, you aren't here by your own will."_

"_Who are you to judge? If I'm not mistaken, I'm not the only one here."_

"_You may refer to me simply as The Other. And you? What business does an Asgardian have on Titan?" Loki scoffed, an action that irritated his many wounds._

"_I am no Asgardian," he spat bitterly. _

"_Oh? Your tattered clothing would suggest otherwise. I believe that, in their prime, they were the robes of nobility, no?" A cough racked Loki's frail frame, blood splattering into his palm. The Other laughed once more, turning back to him with a sinister smile. Something Loki had become accustomed too as of late. It would seem that everything on this side of the universe took pleasure in causing him pain. _

"_It matters not. Wearing a crown doesn't make you a king anymore than wearing furs will make you a dog." He had learned that the hard way. _

"_True. Very true. But, if you were to wield a power to back up that crown..." Loki's eyes moved back to The Other's shadowed face. He knew a plot when one was presented. He also knew that everything around here led to pain. _

"_No. Take your false promises and leave me. I have had enough." He hit The Other's hand, which was held out to help him stand, away from him. _

"_Very well. I shall leave you to your...fate here. Or, you could come with me and I could show you the wonders of this world. I could show you a King's power." It was a tempting offer indeed. But did he really want to try again? His last attempt at achieving greatness had been taken as treason, and he hadn't even planned on keeping the throne. This 'power' sounded like so much more trouble. He opened his mouth to express his denial, but was interrupted by an unholy screech off in the distance. The sound filled him with the familiar terror he had felt so often nowadays and his reflexes kicked in. His eyes wrung shut and he felt himself curling into a ball slowly, knowing he would not be fortunate enough to escape the beast for a third time. The few months since his fall from the damaged Bifrost had been hell to him. There had been very little sleep, and any that had been were plagued by the terrors he saw during his waking hours. He was at his ropes end, only running from the beast that hunted him out of fear of the pain. It would not kill him, but slowly devour his will; his mind. It was an unbearable fate he had been forced to endure. _

"_I know a lost cause when I see one. I hope your meeting with the Nightmare goes in your favor." The Other turned from him once more and began walking away. The beasts howl sounded again, much nearer this time, and Loki felt his desperation win out his reasoning._

"_Wait! What is this power you speak of?" The Other grinned, holding out his hand. Loki took it, despite the warning in his heart, and allowed the creature to pull him to his feet._

"_This way, Little Prince, and I'll show you. We just need to stop by a companion of mine before. She'll be able to heal your wounds..." _

Loki jerked awake with a moan, sitting up violently. He gripped his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts. Everything was so jumbled together after dreams like that those. To be truthful, Loki couldn't discern dreams from memory or vice versa. He remembered so little about his time before The Scepter. Anything he did was shrouded in a deep fog of confusion.

"You alright? You were shaking."

_Alex._

"Fine," he mumbled. She was holding a tube in her hand and it was then that he noticed the cool paste running along his chest.

"This will keep your burns from cracking, so they should heal up nicely." He eyed her curiously, questions from earlier still swimming around his head.

"Alex," She looked at him expectantly, "It's a simple name. Why hide it?" She sighed in defeat, rubbing her temple softly.

"People get too attached to names. Like when strangers bring in a stray and name it...it gets that much harder to let it go." He eyed her curiously.

"And what does that make me? The stranger or the stray?" A small smile broke out on her lips.

"The stray, of course. Which is why your name is still a secret."

"Are you sure that doesn't have anything to do with me coming out of a beam of light'?" Her smile grew slightly and she stood, heading towards the door.

"That too, but still. Having a pet alien doesn't sound very fun to me." He felt his eye twitch.

"Well, it's Loki," he called out of spite, "And I am no alien." She didn't respond, disappearing out the door.

**BREAK HERE BREAK HERE BREAK HERE BREAK HERE**

**-A/N-**

**DOo doo doo, stopping it here because I can. Sorry for the late update, but I **_**did**_** warn y'all beforehand.**

**I know my spelling is crap so, anyone interested in being a beta for me? I do all my work on google Drive, so it will be easy to edit while I type. I'm the kind of person that posts my stuff the second they are done. Let me know.**

**Also, thanks to Gigi for reviewing and not making me feel like a total loser! **

**-A/N-**


	4. Pantomime

**-A/N-**

**So, I'm slowly becoming an actual adult recently and have been too busy trying to graduate, work, pay bills, and finding a place to live/ go to college than to write stories.**

**That's also a lie seeing as I'm spending most of my free time trying to write an **_**actual **_**novel...whatever...**

**Reviews are nice. I know you're reading it. Feedback makes me want to write more so if you like the story and you want updates, I suggest harassing me. I don't even care if it's negative as long as it helps me improve my writing in the end. **

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Thor or Loki or anything Marvel has come up with. If I **_**did**_** things would be different. Because Loki...**

*All criticism is welcomed. I want you to tell me what works. I want you to tell me what sucks. I won't know unless you say something. Negative criticism is Productive criticism!*

**-A/N-**

**BREAK HERE BREAK HERE BREAK HERE BREAK HERE**

Loki awoke to the sounds of yelling. Though they were muffled, he could discern that the fight was about money and involved a man. In fact, the man was doing all the screaming while Alex tried to calm him down. Curiosity getting the better of him, he climbed out of bed and positioned himself at the bottom of the stairs so he could better hear the conversation.

"I don't care! I don't understand _why _you need the $500!" It was the man.

"Because, Erik, we need to make rent. If we don't pay we'll get evicted..."

"God, woman! What do I look like? A doctor? A lawer? I don't just have 500 fucking dollars lying around! You work too, you know."

"Yes I know. I cover half of the bill. We go over this every week. Maybe if you didn't' spend so much on drinking we could afford to actually live comfortably."

"Excuse me? Don't you ever tell me how to live my life again! I work my ass off for this cash and I will sure as Hell spend it on whatever the fuck I want! You don't like it, you can leave!" Something shattered against the wall. The man ranted for a few more minutes, throwing things around and slamming doors. All the while Alex remained silent. Eventually he spat out something about going to work (which was ironic and pitiful in Loki's opinion given the man's earlier statement) and stomped his way outside. He waited until the quiet extended for several minutes before climbing her way to the top of the stairs. Alex was picking the pieces of a broken plate off the floor, her face grim.

"He's a charmer," he spoke, folding his arms behind his back. Alex sighed and moved on to the table, cleaning up the remains of a spilled breakfast and scattered beer bottles. The room reeked of liquor.

"And he's made quite mess of things." Alex glared at him out of the corner of her eyes, then focused back on her task.

"Does he do this often," Loki moved to her side, sweeping some shards of glass into his hand and depositing them in the garbage, "It sounds tiring."

"Yes," she whispered, "Only when he's drinking. Erik's not a bad guy when he's sober." Loki hummed, helping her clean the dishes off the table and placing them in the sink.

"And I'm guessing he's always drinking?" She nodded and turned away from him.

"But at least I got my rent money," she gestured to the living room. On the bookshelf in the corner could be seen a stack of green bills that had been unceremoniously tossed there.

"That means I'll have enough to buy food for the next two weeks. And more bandages for you," She examined the gauze that could be seen under the black shirt he wore. They had darkened over the night where his wounds had opened and started bleeding.

"I know I've said it before, but you're a strange mortal."

"Because I help people?"

"No. Because you help strangers. Particularly those who fall from the sky." She shrugged.

"Crazier things have happened lately. Besides, you're a pretty normal looking alien." Loki's eye twitched,

"I'm _not _an alien-"

"I know, I know. You're a 'Demigod'. I know who Loki is." He frowned slightly at her offhanded way of saying this, as if he were just a boring celebrity and not the man who tried to take over the world. Then it dawned on him: _his _name hadn't been released to the public. While all the Avengers pranced around in their glory sprouting heroism, he had been left in the dark. It certainly explained why Odin and S.H.I.E.L.D. were willing to let him dwell here. If no one knew he was a monster, then no one would have a problem with his face. It certainly made things easier for him because now he would be underestimated until Fury stepped in. Speaking of the man, Loki was honestly surprised he had yet to hear from any of them. He was sure they were watching from somewhere and he needed to find out. Once he was free of his restraints, the leather clad leader would get what was coming to him.

"I'm surprised you believe me. I mean, I _did just_ proclaim myself to be an ancient god."

"Well, Thor is real. So why can't there be a Loki? God or not, right now you're mortal and mortals die if they don't get medical attention." Loki eyed her cautiously, not sure where he stood. At the current point, he had no allies of any kind. Though the girl was human, Alex still was able to provide for him a place to live and food to eat. If things worked out, he could carry out his sentence from here and move on the second he was free.

"You hungry?" Her voice pulled him from reality. He shrugged, still unused to the eating habits of mortals. He had no appetite but still craved food. It was confusing. Alex smiled softly and made to go to the fridge. That was when he spied the bruise slowly forming on her jaw.

"He hit you." He said blandly. She froze, panic filling her eyes for a brief second. She quickly regained composure and returned to what she was doing.

"I antagonized it." Loki frowned. She was so strange.

"And does he do _that_ often?" Here they go again.

"Only when-"

"-he's drunk."

"No. Only when I push him." And he had a feeling that she pushed him whenever he was drunk.

"He doesn't seem like a good man to keep around." She shrugged. He was handed an empty pot and instructed to fill it halfway with water and set it on the stove. She showed him how to turn it on (Which was unbelievably simple...he didn't understand why mortals complained so much about cooking) and dumped a box of noodles into the water when it started boiling. Loki watched carefully throughout the duration of their morning, noting the slight limp she tried to conceal. He didn't want to think about what caused it. He couldn't wrap his mind around it. How could such seemingly sweet person like her let someone like that pig into their life? Not that he particularly cared, but it still pipped his interest.

"What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a technician for music shows." Loki blinked.

"I run the lights and manage the audio for concerts...you know? When people play music for other people." Loki nodded, still not really understanding. She laughed and pulled out her phone showing him a picture. It was clearly a stage, bathed in an array of colorful lights.

"I do all that." He nodded, cocking an eyebrow. What a strange profession.

"That's interesting. You'll have to show me," And now to move in. Alex scoffed, shaking her head.

"Please. You and I both know you're not going to stick around long enough for that." She stood, grabbing his empty plate, and moved back to the sink. Though she tried the slightly sad look her eyes held couldn't be concealed.

"Oh? And what makes you say that?"

"You're the 'God of Lies'. I know when I'm being taken advantage of. I'm used to it by now. The second you get better, you'll leave. So you can stop pretending to care." It irked him that she was able to figure all that out. Now what was he to do? Keep up the pantomime? Or be truthful?

"Then why allow me to play my game for so long? Why take me in?" She gave him a sad look. It was caring, but full of pain...and pity.

"Because no one deserves to be left alone...no matter who they are, or what they've done." She looked away again, but not before he caught the agony her eyes portrayed. It surprised him how little he actually understood about her. Even now with his plan exposed, she refused to send him away. And it would seem that he wasn't the only one hiding their true nature. One thing was sure about the girl, despite her outwardly happy attitude, she was suffering.

"Heartfelt words. I'm touched." He earned no response. Alex finished up the dishes and made her way into the living room. She tossed Loki, who followed closely behind, a book and sat on the couch with her computer. So he joined her, pretending to read for the few hours they sat there. As shy typed, he studied her from his peripherals, trying to decide his next move. Loki _knew_ he should leave, but something kept him from walking out the door. There wa a very grateful piece of him that didn't want to see those eyes so troubled ever again. He didn't want to see the disappointment. Alex had done him more than a kindness by keeping him for so long...

After a while, he noticed her eyes were closed. She was sleeping. The sky had darkened considerably since they had moved into the room, nightfall almost upon them it was then that Loki decided he should take his leave. He stood swiftly and headed for the door, stopping only to look back. He couldn't deny the curious pull he felt for the girl. She was a puzzle, and Loki loved to solve them. Breaking out of his momentary weakness, he turned back to the door and spotted the money Erik had tossed on the shelf. He wasn't going to get anywhere without a little help, so he quickly pocketed the wad of cash and stepped out the door. And then the pain started. It wasn't nearly as bad as it had been the other times Loki's felt it, but it was still enough to make him hiss. The relics burned against his skin angrily, the jewels glowing a sinister red. His muscles locked up and he found that he couldn't move forward no matter how hard he tried. Slowly, he turned against his will and re-entered the house.

Loki placed the money back where he found it and took his place on the couch beside Alex once more. Only then did his body become his again and the relics cooled. He sat raging silently, his fists clenched so tight he was drawing blood from his palms.

"_And these are supposed to accomplish what?" _

"These_ are special. Crafted by our ancestors and forgotten. When translated, they read Traitor's Redemption. They were once used to give criminals a second chance. The magic stored within the gems allow the criminal to be tracked at all time. They block out any magic he might have had and they even give a person control over the criminal if needed." _

"Damn you, Odin," he hissed, slamming his fist down on his knee. The old man hadn't been lying when he spoke of the relic's power. What was he hoping to gain by forcing Loki to stay there? Odin was a fool to think that some human girl would be enough to change him. Besides, Alex had enough of her own problems to deal with.

"_If you are worth to return home, the Relics will tell me."_

THen it dawned on him. Maybe _he _didn't have to change. Maybe he could trick the relics. Perhaps this was Odin helping him along, telling him to stay and help Alex in return for her good will. If he could prove to Odin that he was "changed" by helping her piece her life back together (as it seemed to be falling apart), then maybe the fool would remove the Replica and set him free. With an amused smile, Loki glanced at Alex.

Yes, this would be his ticket to freedom.

**-A/N-**

**Loki is plotting again...but I think we all know what's **_**really **_**going to happen.**

**Please review. I promise I'll update ten times as fast. Feedback keeps me motivated. **

**-A/N-**


	5. Education

**-A/N-**

**Hmm. I think I'm going to start holding updates hostage. **

**Like, I legit want some form of feedback. **

**IF I DONT GET AT LEAST 5 REVIEWS I WONT EVEN THINK ABOUT WRITING THE NEXT CHAPTER:) thanks **

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Thor or Loki or anything Marvel has come up with. If I **_**did**_** things would be different. Because Loki...**

*All criticism is welcomed. I want you to tell me what works. I want you to tell me what sucks. I won't know unless you say something. Negative criticism is Productive criticism!*

**-A/N-**

* * *

><p>Loki jumped, startled. Alex was shaking him looking worried. Apparently he had fallen asleep on the couch beside her last night.<p>

"Danny's home. You need to go down stairs."

"You should just tell him I'm staying here. Won't he find me eventually?"

"No," she hissed, "He thinks he lost the key to the bolt. Last time he was down there it was empty, so he'll won't even think about it." Se she kept it as a safe haven. It was the only explanation that made sense to him. A car door slammed outside and she quickened her pace.

"I'll sneak away to bring you some food later. Stay quiet." The basement door closed behind him and the bolt was locked. With a sigh, Loki returned to his room and sat in one of the chairs. Surprisingly, Danny wasn't half as loud as the day before and that told Loki the man was probably sober. He listened to them talk quietly about their bills. From what he could tell, things were going to be ok this month. But, the next one was going to be difficult.

"The Library isn't paying you enough. If you can't get a raise you'll need to find a new place to work."

_A Librarian? She lied to me, _Loki quirked his eyebrow curiously. This one dealt out lies almost as well as he did.

"I talked to my boss and he said I was in the running for a promotion. Then I'll be a Site Manager instead of just installing the wires. I might even be in charge of the whole construction site."'

"That's great, Danny. I'll start asking around. I think the coffee shop is hiring." Alex didn't sound very happy, despite the light tone in her voice. A recurring event whenever Danny was involved.

"Hey, just you wait. We'll get ahead soon and then we can send you back to school. What did you say you wanted to be again? A writer?"

"Something like that..." Loki sighed. Even _he_ could tell Alex was faking it and he was all the way downstairs locked in a room. He wondered how much Danny actually knew about her. It wouldn't shock him if the man was just as clueless as he was. Eventually the conversation died out, them having moved to the second floor bathroom. His source of entertainment having ended, Loki shifted his attention to a few of the boxes stored in the room. He grabbed the top one and set it on the floor beside him, unfolding the flaps on the top carefully. Inside was several photo books and a few frames wrapped in old newspaper. He grabbed the first one he saw and opened the cover.

A younger Alex sat grinning up at him. She was sitting beside a boy, probably only a few years older...they looked like they were in their teens. They looked related and were clearly very happy to be with each other. The next page also feature the two of them, but there were others as well. They had a darker look, as they were wearing mostly black. Loki recognized the "Style" from his more recent visits to earth as Punk.

"Strange..." he muttered shaking his head, flipping through the album some more. There were pictures of the group doing everything from camping to working. They were all present, growing older as the book went on. Though, after a while the boy from the first picture stopped appearing in the photos. Instead, another boy showed up. He was Alex's age and it was obvious they were _together_. He paused on an image of the two of them smile at each other, the ocean spanning behind them. She looked so much _happier_ in that photo than she did now. She didn't have her false, haunted smile in the pictures Loki examined and it made him wonder what made her lose it.

"You're quite the puzzle," he whispered and set the album down, grabbing the next.

* * *

><p>"<em>Ah, you're the Prince The Other spoke of. Welcome to my home," Loki looked around the hut in disdain. It's not that he was uncomfortable with the living standard, it was all the strange jars and odd plants. There a a foul odor in the air, but he couldn't place him. The woman in front of him didn't match her surroundings, however. She was beautiful, he wouldn't deny it, but he knew she wasn't the young lady she portrayed. Her eyes were old.<em>

"_And you're a witch. The Other didn't mention that," Loki wanted nothing more than to run away and get back to looking for a safe place to finally get some rest. The Other had gotten him away from the Nightmare and that was all he needed. Unfortunately, if he didn't treat his wounds soon he was going to die. The Witch laughed, patting him on the shoulder._

"_Oh, what a rude thing to say. I prefer the term healer, dear. Now come here and let me look at you." He didn't want to let her; he didn't trust her enough. But what choice did he have? So he sat on the stool she had pulled out for him and let her pull the clothing off his torso, wincing as she probed one of the nasty gashes in his side. She rubbed several...interesting ointments on his injuries causing them to tingle unpleasantly. But that wasn't all that began to happen. As her hands started to glow a dark green to begin healing him Loki's head started to cloud over, his muscles involuntarily relaxing to her touch. Any warning bells in his head were silenced, her voice filling his mind._

"_Just relax, little Prince. Relax..."_

Odin frowned as he pulled out of the memory, the magic he was using starting to strain him. The more he delved into his son's exile, the more he realized how lost the boy was. This new information about the Witch was troubling. If his suspicions were true, Loki had stayed a considerable amount of time with the woman under her spell. The old king didn't want to know what the woman had done to him. He shook his head and walked to the pedestal that held the Relic's Heart. He gently stroked the cool surface that glimmered in the candlelight as red as ever.

Odin was grateful for the human girl who had found him in the forest. Had he not been taken in, Odin had no doubt his son would have immediately caused some sort of trouble. And he didn't release Loki from imprisonment on Asgard only to be locked up by S.H.I.E.L.D within his first day. Odin was even more grateful for Loki's interest in the girl, it had kept him safe enough the last few days. And the boy seemed to understand Odin's purpose for forcing him to stay there.

He hoped Loki would find a change of heart in helping her turn her life back around. Then the old king could finally rest in piece. He hated having a rift so large in his house.

* * *

><p>"Here," Alex handed him a plate of food, sitting on the bed. She looked tired.<p>

"Danny asleep?" She nodded, rubbing her temples. He spied a bruise forming on the crook of her neck, but he didn't think it was from a blow. It was strange to think that this girl wasn't as innocent as she came across. It bothered him.

"I'm curious. Why box up all your photos?" Alex froze, glaring at the ground.

"Do you always dig through things that aren't yours?" She stood hastily, stalking towards the bedroom door.

"Yes," he stated honestly, "You didn't answer my question." She glared at him and for a second he actually feared her.

"And you never will," she hissed and left him to stare at the door amused.

* * *

><p><strong>-AN-**

**Yay. I have a new story up. It's called 'Written in the Stars' and is a Naruto fic if you're interested. **

**-A/N-**


	6. Temptation

**-A/N-**

**I DID CHANGE ERIK'S NAME TO DANNY. Sorry for the lack of warning. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Thor or Loki or anything Marvel has come up with. If I did things would be different. Because Loki...**

*All criticism is welcomed. I want you to tell me what works. I want you to tell me what sucks. I won't know unless you say something. Negative criticism is Productive criticism!*

**-A/N-**

* * *

><p>"Where are we going again?" Loki questioned, his eyes wandering the streets lazily. Alex had dragged him out of the house the second he was up stairs that morning. She had been muttering angrily about Danny and his friends, wanting to be out of the house before a party started. Loki hadn't been around any mortal house parties during this age, but they didn't sound appealing in any way. So he agreed to going out with her. Besides, he was slowly going crazy being cooped up in that room all the time.<p>

"To coffee. Then I'm going to show you around. I figured you'd want to get out every now and then so you might as we'll be familiar with the place," she shrugged nonchalantly. Loki repressed the urge to pry into the strange look she held, despite her general light attitude. Perhaps her and Danny fought? Instead he tried pay attention to their surroundings: noting shops and landmarks. The weather was nice out. It was warm enough to be uncomfortable had there not been the slight cool breeze that flittered through the occasional tree. And the air was fresher than some places he'd visited on Midgard. Alex led him into an older looking building tucked away among the other stores. A faded 'Help Waned' sign decorated the was dim inside and smelled strongly of the drink they had come for. Loki's nose crinkled slightly at the smell, not entirely fond of it yet. He let her order for him and sat down at a booth the farthest away from the other customers as he could, waiting patiently. Alex approached a few minutes later carrying two steaming cups with a smile.

"I didn't know how you liked yours so I ordered it black. You can put these," she gestured to a small rack of cream and sugar placed on the table, "to make it taste less bitter." Loki nodded slowly, sipping at the liquid cautiously. He honestly hated it. But he didn't let it show and instead took her advice to make it less horrible.

"So," he started, forcing his smirk from showing yet, "How's work as a librarian? Do you get very many music artists to play at your 'venue'. I'm surprised they even let that kind of noise within a mile of a library..." She shot him a venomous glare.

"Are you implying that I lied?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing."

"We'll I didn't. I _do_ work concerts...I just haven't lately. It's not stable enough to cover rent and..." She looked away.

"And?" Alex sighed and he knew she would curve the conversation away from her new discomfort.

"It's nothing. I guess I don't have the time anymore to check it out; the place I used to work at I mean. The Black Room is great."

_And it's clearly dear to you. _

"Why don't you show me?" She snapped her eyes back to him.

"You want to see The Black Room," she sounded skeptic.

"While we're out. And you could show me what a 'light show' is because at this point I think you're just making all this up." She frowned. After a second she set down her cup and sighed.

"Alright," it was barely above a whisper, but she sounded happier about it, "We'll stop by. See if anyone's there." He allowed his smirk to form triumphantly and finished his horrid drink. He couldn't understand how Thor had taken to the drink so easily. Alex smiled at his attempt to hide his distaste and shook her head. She took her coffee to go and led him back out into the morning air. He followed her in silence, taking note of the important places she pointed out. Most were where he should go if he wanted food or to find a book.

Eventually Alex stopped in front of a plain brick building. It was hidden behind some old warehouses and a tattoo shop, so Loki hadn't seen it coming. The outside had no windows and looked shabby but the dark lettering above the door stood out, shining in the light of the day. 'The Dark Room' was a club. It didn't serve alcohol, but Alex explained they had the 18 year old age requirement. The parking lot in the front was empty, but Loki could spy a few cars behind it beyond the chainlink fence. Alex strolled up to the gate on the fence and inserted her key into the lock. She untangled the chain and slid it open enough for the two of them to slip inside before locking it back up behind them. The closer they got to the building, the more at ease with the place she seemed. It was like a weight was being lifted off her shoulders. A smiled pulled its way on her face as he neared the back door which was kept open by the door stop. The sound of laughter echoed out and long with some obvious bickering. Most of the voices sounded male. Alex entered the building and led him through the mini hallway. They emerged in an open room full of people. The walls were white brick and donned posters, pictures, and flyers of all sorts. On the far wall was a simple, long foldable table covered in various snack foods and drink. Three hallways branched off from the room, leading deeper into the building. Alex looked right at home.

The second she was in the room the people reacted, al calling her name and running to give her a hug. Loki counted six people in total, five of whom were the males making all the noise. He recognized them all from her photo album. He stood off to the side watching her greet her friends with a beaming smile, trying to avoid being seen. But admits the questions of how Alex had been and why hadn't she kept in touch, someone spotted him and asked the inevitable.

"And who is this?" It was the girl who spoke. She had short blonde hair that gradually grew darker towards the tips. Alex turned to him apologetically and grabbed his arm, pulling him closer to the group.

"This is...Logan. He's been staying in my basement. Logan, these are my friends." He resisted the eye twitch upon hearing the impromptu name and forced a smile. Alex introduced him to each person in the room happily. The girl was Nikki. Her boyfriend was the tall brunette called Derry. He wore a goofy grin. Andrew was the shortest with shaggy dark hair and was carrying around an energy drink. His family owned the club. There were the twins Chase and Chance, who looked identical with their long black hair. Loki could only tell them apart by the cloths they were wearing. They had accents similar to his. The last one was Josh. His hair was cut short, but still held the recurring black color they all seemed to enjoy. He was the oldest and had yet to stop hugging Alex from behind. They took turns shaking his hand or clapping him on the back, then went back to jabbering at Alex. Eventually, she managed to get away from Josh long enough to be snached up by Andrew, who led her over to the table to get another drink.

"So, you're living in her basement?" Josh asked him. Loki spared him a glance and nodded.

"Huh...does Danny know?" Loki smirked.

"No." Josh hummed and looked back at Alex.

"Then why exactly are you there?" He sounded like an overprotective brother, grilling him for trying to sleep with his sister.

"I'm in town and needed a place to stay. Alex said she would help," Loki supplied, proud of his quick excuse. Josh looked skeptical, but didn't challenge him. Instead he placed a hand on his shoulder and met his eyes.

"Alex doesn't need anymore reasons to cry, Logan. She has plenty as it is. Don't become another one." Then he rejoined the crowd.

* * *

><p>Alex led him into the main part of the building happily. The entire room was black: the furniture, the walls, the stage, the catwalk blending in with the ceiling, and the bar. Now he understood why they decided to call it 'The Black Room'. How original. Alex and her friends had changed into uniform (black t-shirt with their names written on the back) and were running around switching things on and off and complaining about wires. So far he'd toured the back room, the bar, and the catwalk. There were more rooms, but no one had wanted to go in them so he didn't push it.<p>

"Now wait here and I'll get the lights going so you can stop calling me a liar." Alex dated off again. He couldn't help the smile that twitched at his lips and seeing her this happy. It was a drastic change from what he was used to.

"Ok, floor lights are going out in 30 seconds. Everyone in position?" Andrew spoke into the radio. He got a few affirmatives and then pointed at Josh. The boy ran around the corner behind the stage and the room went pitch black. Soon black lights and other neon colors flickered on giving them just enough light to see the area immediately around them. Andrew began speaking into his radio again.

"Ok, the Twins ready? You plugged in? Good. Alex you're good to go," He finished with a grin. The stage was immediately bathed in a multicolor of light and lasers. A thin cloud of fog was growing in the air, giving it a 3d effect.

"It's a lot cooler when a band is playing and there's music to go along with it," ALex spoke beside him causing him to jump. It wasn't often someone managed to sneak up on him.

"I can imagine. And it would seem that you _weren't _lying." She scoffed and pushed him playfully.

"Too bad. I was looking forward to being wowed by your mortal magic. This," he gestured to the stage, "Is not as impressive as you made it out to be." The jab was intended as a joke, and Loki was glad she seemed to take it as one; getting a mischievous smile on her face.

"I guess we'll have to stay for the show tonight. And I can put you to work." He quirked an eyebrow. Soon she had him forced into a plain black T-shirt and was fiddling around with some white paint on the back. Her and Josh kept snickering at whatever they were writing and it was starting to make him nervous. Alex then showed him where all the main wire connected and told him it was his "job" to make sure they didn't get messed with. Joy. They actually just used him to run miscellaneous things back and forth and was rapidly getting acquainted with the layout of the bar due to the frequent drink requests. Not his idea of fun.

Eventually people started trickling in, but that wa hours later. Loki was told he could take the crew shirt off and put back on his own. His nose scrunched at the words written on the back. _I'm Logan, Alex's New Bitch in Training. _

"That woman," he whispered. Somehow he figured Josh had more to do with it, but he was still going to whine about it later. He sat off to the side of the crowd as it grew to fill the room, the people chatter growing overwhelming. Truthfully, Loki wanted to go home. But he also wanted to do this for Alex. Making her happy was going to make him free. The floor lights went dark and the room filled with cheers, the sound of a guitar ringing out. The band was just as loud, angry, and wild as Loki remember them being described to him. The people in the room were just as crazy; jumping around and fighting.

_Humans..._

But he did have to admit that Alex's light show was exponentially better with the added atmosphere.

"So? Do you like it now?" She called over the music. That was twice that she had snuck up on him. He nodded in response not wanting to yell. Alex smiled and grabbed his arm, dragging him into the crowd.

"Dance with me."

"I don't-" Loki's protest was drowned out by the music. She stopped once they were thoroughly mixed into the crowd, watching the stage with warm eyes. It was then that Loki noticed the Twins and Josh were a part of the band playing. He assumed the rest were friends of her's as well. She threw her arms in the air and began to sway with the music, her eyes challenging him. She finally goaded him into participating. It wasn't half as bad as he thought it was going to be. If he focused on her and not the people around him, it was almost pleasant. He didn't know how, but his hand found themselves on her hips keeping her close. And for the first time since meeting her Loki had the desire to kiss her. Despite the revelation he didn't pull away. And neither did she.

* * *

><p><strong>-AN-**

**And the characters are cast. Some more introductions in the future then we get to see Alex's backstory. Sad sad. And sorry again for the name change. **

**-A/N-**


	7. Responsibility

**-A/N-**

**Trying to write more. My life schedule has been hectic and I haven't found a decent way to keep writing apart of it. Soon, hopefully when school lets out, I can put aside a few hours a day. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Thor or Loki or anything Marvel has come up with. If I did things would be different. Because Loki...**

*All criticism is welcomed. I want you to tell me what works. I want you to tell me what sucks. I won't know unless you say something. Negative criticism is Productive criticism!*

**-A/N-**

* * *

><p><em>Loki watched the WItch's hut disappear into the distance as he was taken away. The Other had sent for him. A part of him wanted the cart he was on to move faster. The other part wanted nothing more than to run back. But he didn't act on either instinct and patiently waited for the driver to lead him to his destination. His time with the Witch was a complete haze. He didn't remember anything specific, only that it involved pain and pleasure. The entire experience left a sick feeling in his chest accompanied by a twisted longing. And what's more was the haze hadn't completely left. It was making it hard for him to plan out a way to escape; he couldn't come to a conclusion and ended up doing as the driver instructed and stepped onto the strange stone carving they had stopped at.<em>

_He immediately was transported from the cart into a massive dining hall. The Other came up and greeted him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leading him deeper into the dark building. He couldn't quite pick out what the creature was saying to him, but he didn't have the mental capacity to resist, so he followed along. The Other led him into another open room, except this one was occupied. _

"_Ah, there he is. The Fallen Prince of Asgard." The red giant spoke with a twisted grin. Loki nodded. The giant continued speaking._

"_I have big plans for you Black Sheep. Soon, you'll be the king you were born to be. I just have one favor to ask of you..."_

Odin was pulled out of the memory by a sound in the room. Someone was speaking to him.

"Father?" He turned to his eldest with a raised eyebrow.

"You're back sooner than you planned." Thor nodded and stepped up to him, his eyes on the Heart.

"How is he," Thor nearly whispered. Odin sighed.

"Still lost. He's found a light, yes, but I fear that his redemption might not come by his own will. He's been...tampered with. In a dark way. Its not clear how much of Loki's will is his own at this point."

"Not his own? What do you mean?"

"I believe that the witch Loki encountered on Titan implanted something deep within his consciousness...a back door into his thoughts. Any who know of this could easily influence him." Thor let out a growl and clutched his hammer tighter.

"How do we fix it? I will hunt down the witch and-"

"It's not that simple. The witch may help, but it still isn't clear if that is the case. I don't want you throwing yourself into the realms and endangering your life for nothing. Now, we wait my son. You forget that I can control Loki physically. I can stop him from getting into trouble," Odin patted Thor on the shoulder reassuringly.

"I'm starting to wonder if human woman have magic of their own. Somehow they have managed to captivate both of my sons," he joked. Thor cracked a smile.

"Has he found one?"

"I think so."

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><p>"I don't care, Alex! I don't want you going around that damn club anymore! You get depressed and turn into a bitch whenever you do."<p>

"Danny-" She was cut off by the sound of a slap. Loki resisted the urge to throw the book he was reading down on floor and head up there. They had been fighting for _hours_. He didn't even know how Danny found out about their trip to the Black Room, but he was not happy about it. Loki was sure that the couple had no dishes left after the man's rant.

_He needs to go._

Loki turned the page and scanned over the world without actually reading them. Unfortunately, Loki couldn't just walk up there and dispose of him. Murder was illegal and he was sure that Alex needed his income to live there. Making her homeless was definitely counter progressing.

"That place is _bullshit_ and is full of fucked up people!" Loki frowned. They were strange, but Alex's friends were not 'fucked up'. _Alex doesn't need anymore reasons to cry, Logan. She has plenty as it is. Don't become another one. _Especially finally gave up on the book and began digging around in the boxes. He pulled out the photo album and started searching the photos for names. There weren't many, but a few had them. Skimming over the ones he was familiar with, Loki zeroed on the one he was looking for: Ian. He was the singer of the band that had played the night before. Alex had looked at him like she had with Josh and the others...like one would look at a dear family member. He didn't get a chance to meet him. Ian, like the others, had dark hair that was spiked. He also seemed to be the tallest next to Josh in the photos. Alex and him were close, if the pictures told him anything. Another crash rang through the house.

"And why don't we ever have enough booze in this house? I thought I told you to pick some up dammit! God clean up this mess," the front door slammed. Loki counted to ten before climbing the stairs. The glass on the floor crackled as he pushed open the door, spying Alex sitting on the floor in the living room. He calmly made his way over to her, taking the broken picture from her hands. She was starting wordlessly at the floor, tears streaming from empty eyes. He crouched beside her and lifted her chin to get a better look at the bruise that was forming along the left side of her face.

"Why are you staying with him?" She twitched her head out of his grasp. Loki sighed. He repeated his question to no avail. She wasn't all there at the moment. Her empty gaze was slowly becoming a horrified one and her hands were shaking.

"Come on," he helped her stand. He left Alex on the couch, deciding to switch tactics. He then returned to the mess in the kitchen and started cleaning it up. When he was done he grabbed a blanket draped over one of the chairs and wrapped it around her shoulders. She was still trembling. A thought suddenly popped into his head. Well, it was more of a vivid image. One of him strangling Danny until he- a sharp pain emitted from the relics earning a hiss from his lips. Ignoring the pain, he returned his attention to Alex who was still crying silently. She was mouthing something.

_I'm so sorry..._ his mind supplied him.

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><p>Loki closed the house door behind him silently and began walking towards his destination: the coffee shop. Alex had locked herself in her room after yesterday and hadn't been out to see him. It provided him with an opportunity. A smile quirked its way onto his face. He hadn't been out alone since before his imprisonment on Asgard. It was liberating. A part of him wanted nothing more than to run...to be free. He had wanted to since he fallen from the Bifrost. A bus slowed to a stop reading an unknown destination. It was an overnight train. It could take him anywhere. So temptin. Unfortunately a much more physical part of him began to warm threateningly reminding him of his purpose out there in the first place. He needed to get rid of Danny, but he couldn't afford to lose the income.<p>

Loki needed a job.

The thought brought a foul taste to him mouth, but he ignored it and pushed his way into the tiny shop. It was empty save for the man behind the counter.

"Hi, what can I get for you?" The man asked with a smile. Loki forced himself to return it and stepped up to the counter.

"A job, hopefully." The man quirked an eyebrow.

"Saw the sign huh?" Loki nodded.

"Well, I'm going to need you to fill out an application. You have your I.D. with you?"

_Damn..._

Loki took the paper and smile sheepishly.

"About that," he started, suddenly very thankful for his accent, "I'm not actually from here and I'm not actually supposed to be so..." The man laughed.

"So you're one of those damn immigrants then? Didn't expect any of you to be from England. Sorry, I don't run that way. Try one of the fast food joint downtown. I hear they'll pick you up like a cold." The man turned to leave.

"Wait! Please just, hear me out. Someone has been very kind to me, letting me live with them. But they're struggling to pay for the house and their partner is a no good drunk. I want to help her," Loki put on a pleading face, "I _need_ to help her." The man eyed him for several minutes silently, his gaze calculating. Then he suddenly nodded.

"Alex is a great girl. I've known her for years now," he took the application form Loki's hand and tore it up, "And she's been nothing but an angel. As long as you're doing what you claim, as long as you're helping her, you can work here," He held out his hand, "I'm Richard, but people call me Richie." Loki took the hand with a grin.

"Logan."

_Step one complete. _

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><p><strong>-AN-**

**Yay. He's got a job now. **

**Let me know what you thought. What do you guys think I should be adding? WHat do you want to see more of? Should I bring in some of the other characters? Or keep it simple for now?**

**-A/N-**


	8. The Past

**-A/N-**

**Trying to write more. My life schedule has been hectic and I haven't found a decent way to keep writing apart of it. Soon, hopefully when school lets out, I can put aside a few hours a day. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Thor or Loki or anything Marvel has come up with. If I did things would be different. Because Loki...**

*All criticism is welcomed. I want you to tell me what works. I want you to tell me what sucks. I won't know unless you say something. Negative criticism is Productive criticism!*

**-A/N-**

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><p>"And you know where the food is if you get hungry?" Loki nodded again. Alex was darting around preparing for a job interview at a local diner. She did not look very happy about it.<p>

"You don't have to work there if you don't want to, Alex." She scoffed.

"I don't have a choice, Loki. We need the money."

"Well you wouldn't need the money if he didn't gamble it all away or spend it on alcohol."

"I'm not going to argue with you about this. I need the job." Loki shook his head.

"You _need_ to start doing things for you and not him." Alex froze.

"Look, I'm going to be late. Stay out of trouble." She picked up her wallet and walked out the front door. Loki sighed, but reveled in her absence. Now he could snoop without worrying about being caught. We walked up to her room and stepped in like he owned the place, heading straight for the dresser. Inside was Danny's cloths. Nothing interesting. He moved to the nightstand and opened the drawer there. He pushed around the junk for a second, ready to move on, but stopped when something caught his eye. A pistol. He pulled it out and examined it. It wasn't very big, but it was loaded.

_As if someone as abusive as him needs a loaded weapon within reach. _Loki wondered if/ how many times he had pointed the object at Alex. Deciding it was for the better, Loki unloaded the gun and pocketed the bullets, putting the pistol back where he found it. He didn't find anything else of interest in the room. Thoroughly disappointed in his search, Loki decided to get information from a more direct source. So he slipped on one of the forgotten jackets in the hall closet and made his way out into the morning air. First, he swung by the coffee shop to see when he worked that day (he was getting his first pay that night) and then walked the familiar path to the Black Room. If Alex wasn't going to give him answers maybe her friends would.

As the building grew closer, Loki could make out Ian standing outside with a cigarette in his mouth next to another kid. He straightened his shoulders and worked out what he was going to say, forcing a pleasant smile on his face.

"Hello. I'm looking for Josh. Is he around?" Ian shook his head.

"Nah. He went out for food. What do you need?" Loki cleared his throat.

"I was just wondering if I could ask some questions about Alex. I'll come back later," Loki turned to leave, but was stopped by the other kid's voice.

"You're that 'Logan' guy she was hanging around aren't you," Loki nodded, "I'm BJ. This is Ian." Loki took his hand and shook it.

"What do you want to know about Alex?" Ian questioned.

"Mostly why she's with a guy like Danny. It's getting tiring running around behind his back for a place to sleep." Ian frowned.

"He's the abusive, drunk type. Hides his depression behind anger and violence...drowning it in beer. Stuck financially and socially. Probably will be for the rest of his life without help. He's exactly what draws her in." BJ nodded and continued.

"See, Alex likes to help people and he needs help."

"But thats not what it seems like from where I'm standing," Loki challenged. Ian sighed.

"Look...this is really personal stuff. It's not easy for any of us. You seem like a nice guy, but you're a stranger."

"Maybe to you. Alex has been kind to me...I'm only trying to return the favor." Ian searched Loki's face for a long time, trying to detect a lie in his words. He found none.

"Fine. But you aren't getting the whole story. Not yet," Ian noded and led the two of them inside, "Like B said, Alex likes to help people. She got it from her older brother. They used to volunteer at homeless shelters and hospitals, you name it. But mostly, they worked with suicide recovery groups..you know, people who help kids with depression and stuff. Actually, we were all involved with a specific group called 'Survivor Camp'. It's not a very creative name, but it's exceptionally effective and was originally started by World War Two veterans. Needless to say, it was a very family like place, and that's how we all met. Alex was amazing at her job. Everyone wanted to talk to her...to have her be their 'Sponsor' and she tried. We would help, but she never needed it. Not really," Ian led them into a locked room and flicked on the light. Pictures depressed the walls, photo albums lined shelves and sat on tables. And there were flowed everywhere.

"This is the 'Memorial Room'. Each of these 65 people were apart of Survivor and didn't make it all the way through the program for one reason or another. These are the people we _couldn't_ save," Ian moved over to a photograph of whom Loki assumed was Alex's brother.

"Tristan was an angel, I'll tell you that. And he was my best friend. He raised her. Their father was an abusive drunk, but they both swore up and down that he never hit them. I knew it was a lie but I never argued."

"What happened to him?" The grinning, blue eyed kids in the photo didn't seem like one who would give in to depression. Especially with all the wonderful people he had surrounding him.

"Tristan was gay. He was actually dating Josh, the kid you met the other day. Along with all the other social work Tristan did, he also ran several gay marriage support groups and organized most of the pride events that took place during his time. All kinds of people looked up to him. But that also mean that all kinds of people looked down on him as well. When Tristan was old enough to move out, he worked three jobs. He wanted to get Alex away from their dad. So between working with Survivor, the pride events, and his jobs, we rarely saw him. But when we did he was always his old happy self. I don't think he was capable of feeling hate at all, the kid was so optimistic all the time. But we were all worried anyway. And one day, those worries were justified, but in a way none of us thought possible. It was late and he was getting of work for the night. Around 11. He was walking home and was jumped by a few older guys against gay marriage. They roughed him up and cussed him out, you know, normal thug shit. The testimony claimed that Tristan just kept smiling and saying he was 'sorry that his view contradicted theirs' in his way. I guess this ticked one of them off and they picked up a pipe and clocked him in the head with it. Right on the temple. They said he was gone before he hit the ground," Ian's voice cracked, "It killed her, you know? Losing him so suddenly. One second he was there and the next he was gone. Nothing any of us could do about it. She still hasn't really gotten over it, none of us have. And it's been close to eight years now." Ian wiped at his eyes and shook his head, removing his hand from the photo.

"Misery likes company. So when you ask why she's with Danny, I think a part of it is her way of trying to create a sense of normality...familiarity. Living with Danny reminds her of living with her dad."

"But that's not the only reason is it?" Ian shook his head.

"No. But no more stories for today." Loki nodded. His eyes landed on another photo on their way out; Another one of the people from Alex's photos. He was the one she had been dating.

_Another story for another time, I guess. _Loki didn't have time to pry any further; he needed to get to work. But on his way out he made sure to ask if there was anything he could do around there for some spare cash. Andrew offered to let him clean the floors before showtime on the weekends, but that was it. Loki took the opportunity, trying not to scowl at the thought.

He needed the money...Alex needed the money.

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><p>Odin closed the case on the heart with a satisfied smile. The red color had faded, only a little, but it had. It meant his son was finally on the right path.<p>

"You will get there, Loki. And when you do all of Asgard will welcome you back home with open arms." He turned from the stone and met eyes with his wife.

"Please," she whispered. Frigga had been pestering him for weeks to see their son, and until then he had always denied her.

"It will only be for a minute. I'll project myself down there. I only want to speak with him."

"He must learn his lesson in solitude...thats how the relics work. We can not help him along, no matter how much we may want to. I've had this same discussion with Thor not two hours ago."

"We don't have to help him. That's not my purpose for seeing him."

"Then what is?"

"To apologize...for not believing in him when I should have. To let him know that I have faith in his ability to redeem himself." Odin frowned, but slowly nodded. After a few minutes of silently debating with himself, he gave in to Frigga's stern look.

"Very well, but only for a moment. We can be seen helping him through this or the people won't think it's legitimate." Friga nodded and pecked him on the cheek.

"Just go back to finding out about the Witch. Once you have the proof you won't need to worry about any of that." Odin nodded and returned his attention to the heart.

"And then we can bring our son home."

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><p><strong>-AN-**

**I like to think that Odin is doing this more to appease the people of Asgard and SHIELD while he digs up evidence. **

**R&R if you want faster updates...I really like this story so it shouldn't be too long before I update again. **

**-A/N-**


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